The conference, which was addressed by Irish Ambassador Dan Mulhall, attracted coverage in the Irish Times; in his review journalist Denis Staunton also profiles a recent collection of essays, jointly edited by Mulhall and Professor Biagini. The Shaping of Modern Ireland updates politician and historian Conor Cruise O’Brien’s 1960 classic of the same title, offering ‘a centenary assessment’ 100 years on from the landmark events of Easter week in 1916. The essays reconsider important figures in the history of Ireland in the twentieth century, such as Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera, with important additions to O’Brien’s original roll call including the consideration of women such as Countess Markievicz and Eva Gore Booth.